Fast and Focused First

When a new app idea starts to take shape, it’s easy to jump straight into features, user flows, or even visual design. But in the early stages, what teams really need is clarity.

At Rocket Farm Studios, we work with founders and product teams to help them make focused, confident decisions early on. Whether it’s the first version of a new product or a tool to solve a specific problem, we believe a structured start leads to better outcomes.

That’s why, when a client comes to us with a strong idea but an open question around scope, value, or direction, we often begin with the CORE Method.

It gives us a simple, focused way to shape and validate the concept before jumping into development. It keeps the team aligned, clarifies what matters most, and ensures early momentum is built on a solid foundation.

What Is the CORE Method?

The CORE Method is a four-part process or framework that we use to help clients move from idea to clear, actionable direction. It’s designed for the early stage of product planning, before tasks are scoped, before wireframes are created, and before design or development begins.

Each step helps guide conversations, clarify assumptions, and focus on what matters most.

CORE stands for:

• Context – Understand the environment and the user
• Opportunity – Identify where value can be created
• Requirements – Define what needs to exist in version one
• Experiments – Test key assumptions with quick, low-cost methods

We apply the CORE Framework to create alignment early, reduce risk, and help teams move forward with clarity and confidence.

How to Use the CORE Method

Use Case: John’s AI Car Buddy App

John has an idea: an AI-powered car companion that tracks maintenance history and reminds owners about upcoming service needs. It’s designed to keep drivers ahead of breakdowns and costly repairs, using personalized data rather than generic mileage schedules.

Here’s how we’d apply the CORE Framework to bring that idea into focus.

Step 1: CONTEXT

Guiding Question: What’s the real-world situation behind the idea?

Right now, most car owners rely on:

• Stickers on their windshields
• Memory
• Or maybe a mechanic’s reminder

But even with those, most people either forget or push things off. This is even more common among owners of secondhand vehicles, who often don’t know the full service history.

Insight: The motivation isn’t laziness—it’s lack of a clear, personalized system. John’s app aims to change that.

Step 2: OPPORTUNITY

Guiding Question: Where does this app create the most value?

There’s real, immediate value in giving car owners peace of mind. The app could:

• Analyze past maintenance logs
• Predict upcoming needs
• Offer proactive alerts before a problem escalates

On top of that, market timing helps. Used car ownership is at an all-time high, and drivers are holding onto vehicles longer due to rising prices. Yet no app is delivering AI-driven service insights at a personal level.

Positioning Opportunity: Personalized maintenance reminders with predictive AI fills a clear, unmet need.

Step 3: REQUIREMENTS

Guiding Question: What must version one be able to do?

For an MVP, simplicity wins. The app should:

• Let users input basic car details (make, model, mileage, last service dates)
• Generate tailored maintenance reminders based on standard schedules
• Adjust alerts based on time, mileage, and user input

Advanced AI prediction or mechanic integrations can come later. For now, success means one owner, one car, and consistently useful reminders.

MVP Focus: Clear, timely alerts based on user-submitted data—delivered with zero friction.

Step 4: EXPERIMENTS

Guiding Question: How can we test this before building it?

John doesn’t need a full app to validate demand. Here’s what we’d do:

• Landing Page Test: A single-page site explaining the concept, with a sign-up form asking for car info
• User Interviews: Talk to 5–10 drivers about how they currently manage maintenance
• Manual Simulation: Send test reminders via email or SMS based on a mock intake form to see if users find them helpful

These light experiments can help confirm real interest, tone preferences, and what users want to control versus automate.

Validation Goal: Do people want this? Will they trust it? Will they use it more than once?

What the CORE Framework Is and Is Not For

The CORE Framework is a decision-making tool designed to help you move from a rough idea to a focused, testable concept without wasting time on bloated strategy decks or rushed feature lists.

✅ CORE Is For:

• Early-stage clarity – Turning vague ideas into actionable directions
• Team alignment – Getting product, design, and business stakeholders on the same page
• MVP planning – Defining what version one must include and what it can leave out
• Risk reduction – Spotting bad assumptions before they cost you time and money
• Fast validation – Running low-cost experiments to test if users care

❌ CORE Is Not For:

• Full product roadmapping – It won’t replace deeper planning once you move beyond MVP
• Technical architecture – It doesn’t define your backend, stack, or dev workflows
• Branding or UI design – You won’t get color palettes, screens, or logos from this
• User journey mapping – It’s not a UX wireframing or design thinking exercise
• Investor pitch prep – CORE helps shape ideas, not raise funding (though it helps clarify thinking before you pitch)

Think of CORE as a starting gate, not a full race plan.
It gives you just enough structure to move forward with purpose, without slowing you down with unnecessary complexity.

Final Thoughts

Strong apps don’t begin with code. They begin with clarity. The CORE Method or framework gives founders, product teams, and innovators a focused way to explore ideas, align quickly, and validate direction before investing in design or development.

It’s built for early-stage thinking, when momentum matters but the path forward still needs to be defined. CORE offers just enough structure to move with confidence, without slowing things down.

If you’re working through a new idea and want support applying the CORE Method, we’re ready to help.